Wadsworth downtown project heads back to bidding after $4.4M budget gap

WADSWORTH — Wadsworth's long-planned downtown infrastructure and streetscape project is moving toward a new round of bidding after the city's initial construction plan came in $4.4 million over budget. City officials expect to advertise the project for bids in October, with construction targeted to begin in late January or early February 2027. The project will replace century-old water, sanitary sewer and stormwater lines in the historic downtown area. It also includes improvements to sidewalks, pedestrian crossings, lighting, landscaping, traffic signals and other parts of the downtown streetscape. The project hit a roadblock in June when The Ruhlin Company, which had been working with the city on the construction planning, presented a proposed maximum price of about $17.6 million. That was about $4.4 million, or 33 percent, more than the city had budgeted for the project, which was about $13.2 million at the time. The proposal also covered a reduced version of the project compared with earlier plans. Director of Public Service Matthew Hiscock told Council members June 2 that city staff had compared Ruhlin's estimates with the city's own estimates and with industry and Ohio Department of Transportation data. Hiscock said some of the higher costs could be explained by the difficulty of working in an established downtown. But city officials also found large differences in several individual parts of the project. The largest increases were about $1.8 million for stormwater work, nearly $1 million for water utility work and about $1.3 million for streetscape and landscaping. Roadway, lighting, pavement, traffic signal and sanitary sewer costs were also higher than the city's estimates. Ruhlin attributed some of the higher costs to the project's complexity, including deeper drainage excavation, moving utilities, and working around infrastructure that has been in place for generations. Keeping downtown open during construction also adds to the challenge. Ruhlin had not yet received subcontractor prices when it submitted its proposed maximum price. Hiscock said the city needed more information before committing to the higher cost. The city ultimately decided not to move forward with that proposal. Instead, officials continued working with project consultant CESO to finish the construction plans and reconsidered how to put the work out for construction. The city now plans to use a more traditional approach in which contractors will compete for the project by submitting bids. Because that approach does not give the city the same price protection as its earlier construction plan, officials also plan to hire an outside construction manager to represent the city's interests during the work. An independent inspector is also expected to be on site regularly. Hiscock said Tuesday the city expects the new bidding process and more complete construction plans to result in a different price. The city's current authorized budget is about $13.29 million. Officials said they do not currently expect to need additional funding for the project in 2027. Final construction drawings are expected to be completed by the end of September, with advertising for bids expected to begin in early October. Officials expect to review the bids and bring the results back to Wadsworth City Council in early November. Completing the construction plans before seeking bids should reduce some uncertainty about the project, officials said. The competitive bidding process also could result in lower construction costs than the earlier proposal. The project remains on track to begin construction in late January or early February 2027, although officials said they will have to make another decision if the bids come in over the city's budget. "We're still on target there. It's just the time frames getting condensed and condensed every week," Hiscock said. Despite the change in approach, the city has no plans to abandon the project. The aging underground utilities need to be replaced, and the city will have to repair sidewalks and other areas affected by that work. The broader project is intended to improve downtown accessibility, pedestrian connections, traffic flow and public spaces while maintaining the character of the historic business district. The city's plans include wider sidewalks, street trees and landscaping, improved lighting, pedestrian safety improvements, alleyway connections and accessibility upgrades. Plans also include changes to East Park and the downtown gazebo.Contact reporter Brooke Adams at (440)-822-8373 or badams@medina-gazette.com.